I’m “excited” to announce that Charlie Brown, Snoopy, and the rest of the Peanuts are all 
college and career ready. Never mind that Charles Schulz created the popular cartoon characters decades before David Coleman began destroying creativity in the classroom; Charlie Brown, Lucy, Linus and the gang are all aligned to the Common Core State Standards. That’s good news for students visiting the Charles M. Shultz museum in California. When students take a trip to experience the joy of the Peanuts their parents and teachers can feel confident that the visit meets the “high standards” of the Common Core. Here’s an example field trip topic: Who is Snoopy?
Field Trip Topic: Who is Snoopy?
KINDERGARTEN:
(K.RL.1) – With prompting and support, ask and answer questions about key details in a text.
(K.RL.2) – With prompting and support, retell familiar stories, including key details.
(K.RL.3)– With prompting and support, identify characters, settings, and major events in a story.
(K.RL.9)– With prompting and support, compare and contrast the adventures and experiences of characters in familiar stories
The museum website demonstrates alignment for grades K-12. For ninth grade field trip on Character Creation they state,
(9.SL.1) Engage effectively in a range of collaborative discussions (one-on-one, in groups, and teacher-led) with diverse partners on grade 9 topics, texts, and issues, building on others’ ideas and expressing their own clearly
You may be scratching your head and wondering why a museum took the time to demonstrate alignment to the Common Core? Like many popular field trip destinations around the country, the museum is likely forced to show alignment to insure that the educational excursions (and probably the funding) can continue. It is all about the money and about the data codes that they can tag to each student to meet performance expectations. Codes like (K.RL.1) allow schools and the state to track each students progress as they advance through their education trajectory. Look for the data codes not just in Common Core (math and ELA) but also in the new science (NGSS) and social studies (based on C3 Framework). The codes are very specific to each expectation and according to the Michigan Department of Education cannot be changed by a school or the state.
Students earn “data badges” as they demonstrate proficiency or mastery of that performance expectation. Badges are stored in a digital back pack and lead a career pathway credential. All based on data and the associated codes. A field trip venue needs to prove that it meets “common core” objectives so that teachers know which codes apply to the activities that day. Teachers do not have the time to figure that out on their own. So the field trip destination parses it out for them and let’s them know how their visit aligns.
If a destination does not show alignment there is no field trip. Most teachers are (or will be) evaluated on how well the students meet the performance expectations set by the standards and cannot “waste” time on meaningless trips to museums that don’t meet the standards. Governor Snyder said learning is “any time, any place, any way, any pace.” A teacher needs an education data code to measure performance like a doctor needs a medical code to get reimbursement. The data codes keep the funding flowing, measure student progress, and can be tracked back to the teacher for their evaluation. If this field trip meets expectations demonstrated by measurable student growth the trip will continue, if not then it won’t. Educational venues that don’t show alignment using common education data codes and standards won’t be considered.
That means museums, libraries, farms, etc. must show Common Core alignment. I have no doubt than eventually even a trip to the grocery store will demonstrate common core alignment. At check-out students can swipe their IDs so schools can track progress toward a digital economics badge and at the same time the state can collect data to make sure parents are feeding their kids properly. As Charlie Brown would say….Good grief!
The teacher in the Peanuts cartoons was famous for never actually teaching but mindlessly repeating, “Wha wa wha” all day long as she spoke to the Peanuts gang. If Schulz were alive today the teacher would likely be groaning, “Common Core, Common Core, Common Core.” And just like the Peanuts gang students today will tune her out completely.